Beverly LaHaye - CWA Founder
Beverly LaHaye is Founder of Concerned Women for America and former President and Chairman of the Board. In 1979, she founded Concerned Women for America (CWA) to protect and promote Biblical values for women and families. Mrs. LaHaye had seen Barbara Walters interview Betty Friedan, the founder of the National Organization for Women. While watching, Mrs. LaHaye was convicted that she must speak on behalf of millions of women who were not being represented by the radical feminist philosophy. Friedan’s purpose, according to LaHaye, was to promote homosexuality, abortion on demand, and thoroughly “undermine the core of American culture: the family.”
God led Mrs. LaHaye to begin an organization that would provide a platform to advance conservative values in politics and policy. CWA was launched at a rally hosted by LaHaye in a local San Diego theatre. CWA began as a local interest, but within two years, it had grown to become a national organization aimed at protecting and promoting Biblical and constitutional principles through prayer, education, and advocacy.
Initially, Mrs. LaHaye jumped into the debate over the Equal Rights Amendment, helping lead the opposition to it as well as advocating for the life of the unborn. As time went on, other vital family-oriented issues arose that demanded attention. She led CWA to speak out on the protection of marriage, support for Israel, and more. Additionally, God led Mrs. LaHaye to add a legal defense department to CWA’s growing list of involvement as opportunities arose to be a voice on behalf of women and men embattled in the court in the areas of life, marriage, education, and freedom of religion.
In 1985, Mrs. LaHaye moved CWA headquarters from San Diego to Washington, D.C. Both she and her husband, Tim, believed this move was vital in order for CWA to have its greatest impact on the culture as the organization continued to expand. Mrs. LaHaye’s growing influence in the conservative movement, as well as Republicans holding a majority place in office, led to LaHaye’s prominence during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. She regularly testified in congressional hearings, including on behalf of the Supreme Court nomination hearings of Antonin Scalia, Robert Bork, and Clarence Thomas.
During the 1980s, Mrs. LaHaye’s heart of compassion led her to reach out to Nicaraguan families who were displaced by the communist regime in their country. On numerous occasions, Mrs. LaHaye led teams of volunteers to the jungles of Costa Rica, where they provided much-needed aid to refugees fleeing from their own country. CWA established a refuge station in the jungle which provided clothes, food, education, medical assistance, and, most importantly, hope to these struggling people.
The influence of CWA has spread throughout the country, with chapters in almost every state. As chair and founder, Mrs. LaHaye hosted an award-winning radio talk show and appeared in numerous media interviews. Mrs. LaHaye would not hesitate to accept the opportunity to be the voice of Christian women on national television, often in direct debate against some of the leading feminist and pro-choice voices of the day.
CWA became a fast-growing grassroots organization of conservative women and men who were challenged and educated to pray for their country and its leaders, as well as to take action in their communities, states, and even at the national level. Mrs. LaHaye expanded the organization’s legislative action work with Members of Congress and the Executive Branch to further the policy initiatives of Christian conservatives around the country.
Mrs. LaHaye served as President of CWA until 2010 and remained Chairman of the Board of Trustees until 2019. She is a nationally recognized advocate and spokesperson on family values. She has appeared on numerous national television and radio shows and, for many years, hosted the Concerned Women Today radio show. She authored and co-authored numerous books, including Who But A Woman?, The Spirit-Controlled Woman, Understanding Your Child’s Temperament, and The Desires of a Woman’s Heart.
In addition to writing many books together, Mrs. LaHaye and her husband co-founded San Diego Christian College. The Atlanta Journal Constitution referred to Mrs. LaHaye and Tim LaHaye as the “Evangelical Power Couple,” and in 2005, Time Magazine honored them as among “25 of the Most Evangelicals in America.”
Many organizations have honored Mrs. LaHaye through the years: In 1991, she received the Southern Baptist Convention’s “Religious Freedom Award.” In 2001, the Council for National Policy (CNP) awarded her “The Thomas Jefferson Award for Servant Leadership.” In 2016, the Faith and Freedom Coalition honored her with the prestigious “The Winston Churchill Lifetime Achievement Award.” In 2019, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) awarded Mrs. LaHaye their Platinum Book Award for 1 million copies sold of her book, The New Spirit Controlled Woman, published by Harvest House. On her 90th birthday in 2019, the Honorable State Senator of California, Brian Jones, presented Mrs. LaHaye with a resolution extending deep appreciation for her dedication and contribution to the State of California and beyond. She was also honored with a tribute published in the Congressional Record by Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Missouri) and an appreciation video from President Donald Trump.
She was married to Dr. Tim LaHaye for 69 years before his passing in 2016 and is the mother of four, grandmother of nine, and now great-grandmother of 20.